Rivermen change captains, put Ruwe in top leadership role

PEORIA -- The Peoria Rivermen made a move within their leadership group on Saturday afternoon, naming veteran defenseman Cole Ruwe team captain.

Ruwe, a Pekin resident who grew up playing youth hockey in central Illinois, takes over the captaincy from defenseman Jarrett Rush.

The latter has been on call-up with ECHL Kalamazoo since Jan. 14, and missed his fifth Rivermen game on Saturday night.

Peoria beat Knoxville on Friday at Carver Arena, but did not play well, and after the game Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel blistered his team in a closed-door locker room session.

The Rivermen had been going with three assistant captains during Rush's absence, but on Saturday Trudel decided to appoint Ruwe captain. Center Nick Prockow and defenseman Joe Schiller will continue to serve as assistants.

"This move just couldn't wait," Trudel said Saturday before Peoria's rematch with Knoxville. "I felt it was something that had to be done."

Dave Eminian covers the Rivermen for the Journal Star. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.